White Lies
by eddiebell69
Summary: Isabella Swan is a prostitute working at brothel, and one day, a mysterious customer pays her a visit, changing her life forever. Contest entry for 'A Love Like Fire' contest.
1. The beginning and the end

_**Entry for "A Love Like Fire 2011"**_

_**Title: **_White Lies

_**Author: **_eddiebell69

_**Beta: **_maxandmo

_**Pairing:**_ Bella and Edward

_**Rating: **_M

_**Prompt: **_Rihanna feat Eminem - Love The Way You Lie Part 2

_**Disclaimer**_: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all its characters; I just put them in twisted and fucked up situations. Rated M for language, lemons and dark themes, read at your own discretion.

**a/n**: A **_big, huge thank you_** goes out to my beta, **maxandmo.** This story would _definitely _not be here without her.

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Isabella looked at herself in the mirror and grimaced. Her reflection was a pathetic sight to behold.

Her eyes were tired and cold. Her face was delicate, yet worn out, and the hair that framed her frail face was as dark as a raven's, contrasting her features and making her look older.

She sighed and looked down to her hands. She did not want to see her reflection. She did not want to be in that bathroom; in _that_ specific hotel room.

But she had no choice. She _had_ to be there. She had lost the choice to leave when she became an orphan and fell into the trap of a vicious man's hands. Isabella was a prisoner in the wretched world of prostitution; for almost six years she had to please customers in order to survive.

_Life_, she thought sarcastically, _I don't know if you can call this life._

She looked back up again and began applying her make-up, determined to follow through with her day's schedule. She delineated her eyes with a thick, black eye-liner and applied heavy mascara to her lashes. She didn't bother with lipstick or lip gloss, not because she never kissed a client on the lips, but because she didn't want to leave any trace of herself on them.

She unwrapped the towel that covered her body and dried her hair with it. Next, she put on her miniscule undergarments, even though she knew that they would stay on for only about five minutes. Lastly, she slipped on her black mini-dress and matching strappy heels.

"I can do this. I _need _to do this," she repeated in a mantra as she walked out to the bedroom and waited for her next client.

Isabella looked at the clock and noticed it was eleven-forty-five a.m. Phil, the man she worked for, had said that her new client would arrive at noon, meaning she had fifteen minutes to herself until he showed up.

She closed her eyes and reminisced about how her life was when she was a child, when she didn't have to worry about being homeless, or about being hungry, but especially about being afraid. She saw her mother's face light up as she rode down the street on her new bicycle, along with her father, who proudly cheered her on from the sidelines. It was the first time that he'd let go of her seat, so this was a special occasion. The hot Arizona sun warmed her face, as she reached the corner and turned to go back to her parents, laughing carelessly without a worry in the world.

Little Isabella Swan was a beloved child. Her mother dressed her up in pretty, frilly things, and her father bought her everything that her heart desired. She wished she could be with them. She wished she could have them back, but she couldn't, and it hurt.

Before the pain in her chest could expand, she exhaled deeply and opened her eyes. She took in her surroundings which brought her back to reality, to _her_ reality.

The room wasn't too fancy, but it wasn't cheap-looking either. The hotel she was at was supposed to be part of a branch of legal brothels in Nevada, yet it wasn't. Phil didn't do anything legal. He only kept up appearances so he could run his drug business under the table. It was a surprise that it had a good reputation considering that a large part of their clientele weren't business men. Most of the girls that worked for him brought in customers from bars and casinos that they would meet there, hooking them up with drugs they consumed themselves.

The label of hooker was a good one for them, yet Isabella wasn't the same.

She had never been wrapped up in the world of drugs, and her only addiction was strong coffee in the morning along with cigarettes. She'd never had to work in the streets since Phil considered her one of his 'best girls'. Many of the regular clients requested her, making the job a bit endurable, though it didn't make it any easier.

Some days she'd look at it as any other job, thinking and saying that she could have it worse which helped her throughout the day.

Today was not one of those days.

Today was one of the days where she wished she were far away from this world and its entire perverseness. Where the memories of a better world would creep in and she'd desire to be a part of it again. She would imagine how her life would be if she could have it all back, and she could be truly happy. She'd recall the times she watched _Pretty Woman_ with her best friend, Jessica, and of how hard they giggled every time Richard Gere kissed Julia Roberts. She remembered how she'd seen Julia on the screen and thought that being a prostitute wasn't such a bad thing.

Oh, how innocent little Isabella had been.

She didn't know that things in the movies are made to look better than they are, or than they seem.

The knock at the door brought her back to reality.

She had to work and endure the new customer, whom she was sure she'd be seeing frequently from this point on. She walked to the door and greeted him politely, asking him to come in. He looked at her appreciatively and grinned as he stepped inside; he was a generic looking man with sandy blond hair and crystal blue eyes. He was just a bit taller than Isabella and was slightly built.

"Would you like something to drink?" she asked him, as she walked to the wet bar.

"Um, is that at an additional charge?" he asked nervously. "I only brought enough for the hour and maybe for a little something extra."

Isabella chuckled lightly as she looked at him over her shoulder. "It's included in your hour, you know? Just in case you need to get in the mood… or if your little friend can't make an appearance today."

The man blanched and swallowed loudly. "Has that happened before? The not being able to get hard part?"

"Countless times," she smirked. "You'd be surprised how many men have to get help from a little blue pill, which is available for an additional charge, yet you wouldn't be able to buy it since you say you don't have more than enough. Not to put any pressure on you, but you'd be fucked without getting fucked."

"I'll take that drink now," he said anxiously. "It will _definitely_ help get me in the mood."

"Okay," Isabella simply replied. She poured him a glass of whiskey over some ice and a cherry, and then handed it to him. "Let's take a seat, it'll help you relax and take the pressure off of you." She walked to the suite's living room and sat on the couch facing him. She crossed her legs suggestively, exposing her panties to him, while he looked at her and smiled.

"Aren't you going to have a drink with me?" he asked.

"Haven't you ever heard that you're not supposed to drink on the job?" she inquired, playful. "That rule still applies here."

"Really? I didn't think you had rules here. I mean, you're a…" he trailed off.

"A prostitute," Isabella finished for him. "I know you're thinking it. Just say it. Say it out loud."

He looked at her apologetically and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

Isabella shrugged and shook her head. "I'm not offended at all. This is my job and I'm used to it. But let's not get into that," she said, flashing him a smile in an attempt to get back on track since their meeting had gotten off on a bad start. Maybe he wouldn't be a recurring client after all.

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?" he asked, taking a sip from his drink.

"How about we start with you giving me your name? I feel weird not knowing what to call you."

"My name's Mike. What's yours?"

"What's your favorite name? Whichever name that is, that's what you can call me," she replied cockily.

He blushed and looked at his hands. "Okay, _Jess_, now that we know each other's names, what else would you like to talk about?"

She licked her lips and looked up at him from underneath her lashes. "Let's talk about you; what do you like in bed?" Isabella asked, working her magic. "What would you like me to do to you?"

Mike swallowed loudly once again and fidgeted nervously. "I was actually wondering what would be okay for me to do. This is the first time I've done this, and I have no clue how things work," he admitted.

"Well, I don't know about other girls, but I'll tell you how _I_ work. Is that all right, sweetheart?"

"Yes," he replied. "That'd be great."

"First of all, I don't kiss on the lips. You can kiss me on the neck, on my back, on my legs, etcetera, but never on the lips-"

"Like in _Pretty Woman_?" he asked, cutting her off. "Vivian said that it was too personal, is that the reason you don't kiss on the lips?"

Isabella glowered slightly. She didn't want to discuss her reasons for not kissing. That would be too personal, so she asked instead, "You've watched _Pretty Woman_?" This was obviously a rhetorical question since he knew the name of Julia Robert's character.

"Yes, countless times at home," he answered timidly.

_Shit_, Isabella thought. She knew she needed to change the direction of the conversation. Mike surely wouldn't want to be thinking about his situation at home, if anything he was probably trying to evade those thoughts. "Well, enough about that movie, let's continue discussing the details of our encounter, shall we?"

He agreed and listened intently as she explained to him what was included in the price and what he'd need to pay extra for. Mike didn't hesitate to pay her in advance for a blow job, yet he didn't seem to get comfortable enough to get things into action. Isabella knew that he wouldn't be an easy client, this being his time. His apparent lack of skills was obvious as far as she could tell, so she did things differently.

She took the glass from his hand and took a sip from it, looking at him, waiting for his reaction. He seemed to relax gently, so she kept going with her plan. She picked out the cherry and placed it in her mouth; after she ate it, she twisted the stem with her tongue and gave it to him. "It's good to break the rules sometimes, don't you think?"

A large smirk was plastered on his face as he answered, "Yeah, it really is."

"The best part about breaking the rules is that there is always a consequence as a result, you know? Like me drinking that whiskey definitely deserves a punishment, don't you think?" she asked, in a sultry voice. Mike's eyes lit up at this, giving Isabella the perfect opportunity to get him to loosen up. "How would _you_ punish _me_, Mike?"

"Wow… um, I," he stuttered, taken aback a bit. "I'd… bend you over the couch, and then I'd spank you."

Isabella smirked, pleased with herself, yet she wasn't amused with his answer. That was the most common reply that she got from men, making it very unoriginal. She reached over and leaned into him, running her hand up his thigh, and whispered in his ear, "I think I like that punishment, in fact, I think it's perfect, so why don't you go ahead and punish me?"

This caused Mike to shiver and stand up immediately. He took Isabella by the hand and guided her to the edge of the couch, bending her over the armrest. Isabella spread her legs wider to get a better stance and closed her eyes, waiting for his next move. He slipped his hand under her dress and pushed it up, exposing her bottom, giving him the visual he needed to get fully aroused. He groaned as he took in her black thong, and without further notice struck her with his right hand. Isabella moaned instinctively and begged him for more; playing along with the game she always had to participate in.

After a few more spanks, Mike was shaking with the need and urge to take her from behind. As he unbuckled his pants, she turned around and pushed him back gently. Mike looked at her incredulously; he couldn't fathom that she had dared to do that, to _him_.

"What's your favorite color?" Isabella asked quickly, afraid that he'd do something to harm her.

"Black, why?" he questioned, raising a brow at her.

"Give me a second, Mike. I'll show you why," she said, as she made her way across the room. When she reached the drawer chest in the back, she took out a crystal bowl that was full of condoms ranging in color. She picked out a black one and walked back, kneeling in front of him. He looked down at her, as she unzipped his pants and pulled them down along with his boxers, releasing his erection.

Isabella noticed that he was already leaking, therefore he wouldn't last long once she put her mouth on him. She wanted to sigh in relief. She tore the wrapper and slid the condom along his length with her teeth with apt precision, making him moan and beg for more. She looked up at him as she began sucking and moaning around him, trying to figure out what he'd like for her to do.

_Mike's a pretty boring man, _she mused, _he's probably never fucked anyone's mouth._

So that's what she asked him to do, and he easily complied. Five minutes later Mike was grunting and shaking as he released into the condom,his hands threaded in her hair.

After that things moved pretty quickly; Mike and Isabella undressed each other and lay on the bed. He caressed and kissed her skin, in an almost reverent manner, making her a little uncomfortable. It wasn't the first time someone touched her this way, so it didn't surprise her, but it anguished her as it always did. This would be the moment when she tried to block her thoughts and focus on the person she was with, yet she kept thinking about another man.

Her mind betrayed her as she gazed at Mike, because instead of seeing blue eyes, she saw green eyes looking intently back at her. She closed her eyes and moaned Mike's name, hoping that by doing so she'd be brought back to that moment, but it didn't work.

The other man was embedded in her memory forever.

She breathed out and began kissing Mike along his jaw, threading her hands in the hair at the nape of his neck, fingering the contrast between the feel of his hair the one she longed to touch. She was losing herself in the moment of a previous encounter, and it was becoming too painful.

Mike brought her out of her reverie, though, as he began whispering against her skin, telling her to get on her hands and knees. Once she did as he asked, he moved his hands to her sex, feeling the arousal that was already gathered there. He was probably reeling at the fact that he had done that, that he had caused that reaction in her, but little did he know that the memory of another man had made Isabella's body respond that way.

She handed him another black condom and waited patiently for him to put it on, mentally chastising herself for getting carried away in her mind. Once he was ready, he thrust into her forcefully, making her yelp in surprise. This encouraged Mike, so he continued pounding into her, groping her hips, grunting. Isabella snaked a hand to her sex and began circling her clit to bring herself to orgasm quickly, since she knew she wouldn't achieve it otherwise.

In a few minutes, just as she was arching her back into him, moaning his name, Mike stilled his movements and came, swearing loudly. He slid out of her without saying anything, and then sat on the bed as Isabella watched him.

"Can I take a shower here?" he asked. "I'd go to my hotel, but I have to go to a meeting right after this, and I really don't want to smell like sex."

She nodded, "Yeah, that's fine."

"Okay, thanks," he said, as he stood from the bed. He gathered his things in an awkward silence and made his way to the bathroom.

Isabella remained laying on the bed thinking about how bad she must have performed, because Mike hadn't said anything about what they had just done. She had been so absent during the act, not paying attention to him like she should have. Maybe if she had paid more attention, she could have made him climax once more. She hadn't given him his hour's worth and she knew this. If Phil were to find out he'd surely give her a piece of his mind.

She sighed as she realized that there was nothing she could do now. She could only hope that Mike never came back, and that he didn't tell other potential customers what a lousy lay she was.

She stood from the bed and put on a silk robe, not bothering to get dressed since she'd have to shower as soon as Mike left. She went to the wet bar and poured some water in a glass full of ice, drinking it to soothe down her nerves, and waiting for him to come out of the bathroom.

Five minutes later she was sitting on the couch when he finally stepped into the room. He was still silent, and the tension was killing her. She looked at him and frowned. She needed to say something, so she did. "I'm sorry about what happened, if I made you uncomfortable. I should have-"

He cut her off abruptly, "You don't need to apologize for anything, sweetheart. I'm uncomfortable because I couldn't last more than five minutes."

"Oh… well, you don't need to worry about that," Isabella said, flailing her hands a bit.

"Why did you think I was uncomfortable? Did you think that you did a bad job?"

She nodded as she picked on her nails with her teeth. "Yeah, actually, I did."

He moved to stand in front of the couch and leaned down, gazing at her. "That's the best sex I've had in years; it was worth every penny."

"Thanks," she said, contrite.

"No, thank _you._" He stood upright and walked to the door. "I've got to get going, or I'm going to be late, but I'll be back sometime soon."

"I'll be here," she grumbled. She saw him reach the door and turn the handle, when suddenly something came back to her. She didn't know whether to do it or not, but curiosity got the best of her, and she asked the one question she never did. "Mike, who's Jess?"

Mike looked back at her and sighed. "She's my wife, but we stopped having sex since I found out that she was cheating on me. I hadn't been able to get an erection since that day, and I thought that it was my problem. I guess it's just can't perform with her." He walked out the door and didn't look back, leaving Isabella to take in the bit of information that he'd left behind.

**-0-**

She went to the bathroom to shower and get ready for her next customer. As she stood under the warm spray of the water she thought about what Mike had said; about watching _Pretty Woman_ at home and his wife's name being Jessica.

_Maybe she's the same Jess that I grew up with,_ she considered.

"No, it can't be," she said, shaking her head, trying to convince herself that there were probably many Jessica's in the world who liked that same movie as her childhood friend. Her best friend probably wouldn't cheat on Mike if he were her husband, at least she hoped not. She deserved someone who wouldn't have to pay a stranger to give them what they didn't get at home.

Isabella would never have someone that loved her, which would marry her, and give her a happy ending.

No, she'd always be alone in this miserable world. She'd lost the one person that loved her to it, and she wouldn't get him back. She wept quietly as she washed her body, trying to remove all traces of what she'd done just minutes ago, and what she'd endure many more times throughout the day. She tried to concentrate on other things, not wanting to be in a brooding mood all day, and got out of the shower to get ready for the next client.

She thought about music, movies and books while she reapplied her make-up and got dressed. She began planning which CDs she would buy the next time she went to the music store at the mall and which new movies she'd rent on her day off. She continued listing things she needed as she lay on the bed and waited again.

The wait seemed to drag on until her client called to cancel, giving her more time to list items, but after a while she ran short of them. Isabella found herself uneasy and decided to have a smoke to relax.

She lit up a cigarette, attempting to control her nervousness and her bouncing leg that rocked the bed. She fidgeted even more as she began smoking, biting her nails and running her hand through her hair. She sighed exasperatedly and walked to the window.

When she looked outside, she smiled at the bright sun that illuminated the sky completely. Her smile turned rueful as she remembered the times she hadn't done it alone, because those times also reminded her of him.

It was inevitable, because whatever she did, he'd always be there, whether in the back of her mind, or tugging at her heart with pain.

_He_ had possessed her mind and body, and he'd also taken her soul.

Isabella shut her eyes trying to suppress the images from coming forth in her mind, yet she was unsuccessful. A shuddering sob erupted from her chest as the pain that consumed her was unleashed, taking her back to the day she met him in that same brothel…

**-0-**

_It was a late Wednesday afternoon, the day had been slow and she was just waiting around to see if anyone else would show up. Just as she was about to get ready to leave, there was a knock at the door. She walked to and opened it, finding a very strange man there. He wasn't like the rest of the men that visited her, so she was almost certain that he had the wrong room._

"_Can I help you with something?" she inquired._

_The man shifted his weight nervously, never looking up at her. "Yeah, um, the lady at the desk told me to come to this room, that you would help me here."_

"_Help you? As in help you with my services?" she asked, incredulously. _

"_Yeah, something like that," he mumbled. _

_She looked at him again and then sighed, "Yeah, well, come in I guess." _

_He finally looked up at her, taking her breath away, and entrancing her as she took him in. His eyes were the most beautiful shade of green she'd ever seen, and his hair was the color of fiery copper, which contrasted his features immensely. His expression looked troubled, and though she couldn't imagine what would cause him to feel that way, she wanted to make it better._

_A very uncharacteristic need to protect and take care of him overcame her. This disturbed Isabella greatly, because she'd never felt that way before. She knew that this encounter would lead to nothing good, yet she couldn't find it in her heart to turn him down. _

_She tore her gaze from him and stepped to the side, allowing him to walk into the room. She observed him carefully as he went directly to the couch and took a seat. After she closed the door and made her way to him, she waited for him to say or do something, but he stayed silent and unmoving. She sat next to him and asked, "What's the matter? Is something wrong?"_

_He shook his head and cracked his knuckles. "No, I'm just really nervous, that's all," he acknowledged._

_Isabella could completely understand that, many of the men that required her services were generally nervous. "It's okay to be nervous, especially if it's the first time you're doing something like this. It's completely normal."_

"_Is that what you're really thinking? Are you just saying that to appease me, or is that something that you tell everybody?" he asked, defensively._

"_Both actually, but I do mean it when I tell you that, yet I also say that to other men who come here. I have to ask you something, though; do you know what it is I do?"_

_He scoffed, seemingly offended. "Yeah, I'm not _that_ stupid," he bickered._

_Isabella looked down at her hands nervously. She couldn't comprehend why he reacted that way, or why he'd need her services. He could probably be with any girl he desired, yet he was there, so she decided to find out. "Do you really want to be here, then? With me? You seem really apprehensive," she mused. _

"_It's just that I don't know what you're thinking, and that really bothers me," he said, while tugging at his hair._

_She moved her hands to his, stilling his movements. "Don't do that," she gently chastised._

_The man looked at her, interested in her genuine concern over him. "I don't know what to do," he whispered._

"_It's okay, I can show you if you want?" she offered._

"_It's not that I don't know what to do, it's that I don't know what to do first. There are so many impregnated images in my mind, images that have been there for years, yet I haven't been able to put them into practice because nobody's ever wanted me this way before. They all think I'm a freak," he confessed._

"_Why would someone think you're a freak? You don't look like a freak to me," Isabella said, gazing into his eyes._

"_That's because you don't know anything," he spat. "You don't know the things that I hear, because I hear 'things', except now, I can't hear what you're thinking, and it bothers me."_

"_You can hear _thoughts_? You're like a mind reader?" she whispered._

_He nodded and then asked, "Does that scare you?"_

"_Why would it scare me? I think it's pretty cool that you can do that," she said, smirking. And it was true. Isabella was very intrigued by his revelation, and even though she thought it was an impossible thing to do, she somehow believed that he could do it. "And just so you know, I don't think that you're a freak."_

_This made the man smile. It seemed that those were the exact words that he needed to hear. He looked at her intently as he cupped her cheek with his gentle hand and caressed the soft skin under his fingers. "Emmett said that you were pretty; he lied," he said. "You're beautiful."_

_She blushed profusely at his words. No one had ever called her beautiful, with the exception of her parents, and she always believed that they were biased. She didn't want to dwell on that and changed the course of the conversation. "Emmett sent you here? He's the one that told you about me?" _

_Emmett was one of her regular customers. The reason she remembered him clearly was because he's one of the very few men she serviced who was actually good in bed. Isabella enjoyed his company very much, and though she'd never fully admit to it, they had a slight crush on each other, which resulted in a lustful affair between them._

_He nodded again and then smiled, dropping his hand. "Emmett brought me here; he said it was my birthday present."_

"_It's your birthday today?" _

"_Yeah, I'm twenty-one, and Emmett said that he didn't want me to be like the forty-year-old virgin in that one movie."_

_Isabella chuckled. "I don't think you'd stay a virgin until you were that old. Any girl would love to be with you."_

"_No, they wouldn't. Ever since I've been a kid, girls want nothing to do with me. I've always been the weirdo that rode on the short bus. I'm the weird mind reader, remember?" he asked, pointing at his head. "Doctors have labeled me as mentally troubled, because they can't prove that I can actually hear people's thoughts, therefore I can't get a normal job. Girls don't like guys that work at Goodwill."_

"_You work at Goodwill?" she asked. _

"_Um-hmm, Emmett's my boss… he's actually kind of the only friend I've ever had."_

"_It's really nice of him to look out for you, to bring you here, but I don't think it's necessary," she said, looking down at his hands._

"_You don't have to do this if you don't want to," he said, glowering at her."I know it's your job, but I don't need you to pity me." _

_Isabella shook her head and said, "I didn't mean it that way. What I actually meant is that you should probably wait to do this some other time, with someone special. It doesn't have to be this way."_

"_Someone special?" he sighed. "I'll never find someone special for me." _

"_I don't believe that," Isabella said. "There _has to_ be someone out there for you; someone who would want to share this with you, this special moment." _

"_Would _you_?" he asked. "If you met me somewhere else and you didn't have to be paid, would you want to be with me?_

_Isabella felt slightly offended with his question. She hated that she felt vulnerable with him, and that he was only asking her if she'd be interested in him, but the reminder of who she was, and what she did, made her feel that way. She felt that she could never be good enough for him, and that hurt her, too. "I would," she said, unhesitatingly. "I'd do it without you having to pay me."_

_He turned in his seat, gazing into her eyes, as he pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Isabella shivered at his soft touch since no one had ever been that delicate with her before. She unconsciously leaned into him, pressing her lips to his. A soft moan escaped her throat as sparks of electricity ran through her body. She threaded her hands in his hair, leaning forward, needing to kiss him deeper._

_He opened his lips, inviting her in, so she slid her tongue and tangled it with his. They kissed softly, teasing, as they closed their eyes and lost themselves in the moment. She soon began to need more, kissing him urgently, with an unknown passion. He melted into her kiss, holding her close to him, running his hands along her body._

_In an instant, Isabella was straddling his lap, pulling his jacket off him and removing his shirt. Her hands roamed his chest while she continued to kiss him frantically. He pulled her dress over her head and unclasped her bra, never wasting time. He kissed, licked and sucked her nipples as she arched into him, moaning._

"_Take me to the bed, please" she begged him._

_He complied easily, standing up from the couch and lifting her, her legs wrapped around his waist. As soon as they reached the bed, they continued undressing quickly. Isabella pulled him to her as she climbed on it, searching for his lips once more. He settled between her legs and kissed her passionately, cupping her face and looking at her intently._

_Isabella felt loved, worshiped. She had longed to feel this way for quite some time, and only this strange man had been able to achieve it. _

"_Bella," he whispered. "You're bella… beautiful"_

_She smiled as she heard him call her that again and kissed him gently. He smiled a beautiful, crooked smile in response. Isabella shivered as she felt him at her entrance, hard and ready. He snaked his hand between them and positioned himself there. No words were said as he finally pushed into her; his thrusts were slow, but purposeful as he entered her over and over._

_He whispered how good she felt as he did so. Isabella moaned quietly against his mouth, looking intensely into his eyes, watching his expressions. There was surprise, intrigue and true fascination flashing across his face, as she moved with and against him._

_It seemed like hours had passed before Isabella's body began to tremble as her orgasm approached. She pressed him closer to her, if that could be possible, and closed her eyes, moaning loudly. He followed right after her, moaning 'Bella' over and over again._

_After he rode out his orgasm and his breathing had settled, he rolled over and lay on the bed. Isabella turned into him and smiled._

"_Happy birthday," she whispered._

_He smiled crookedly again. "It is now, thank you."_

_She giggled and looked at him before kissing him softly on the lips. "I'm glad you liked your present."_

"_It was _very _nice," he chuckled. "Thanks for making my first time unforgettable."_

"_I have to confess something," she said, as ran her finger against his lips. "You gave me my first kiss tonight."_

"_I did?" he asked. She nodded. "Well, I hope it was good."_

"_It was really good," she admitted._

"_I'm glad," he said, just before his cell phone rang. He looked at it and frowned. "I have to go, or I'm going to miss my bus."_

_Isabella looked down uncomfortably and sad. "Okay," she simply said. _

_He stood from the bed and quickly got dressed, as he looked at her while he did so. "It really was a pleasure meeting you," he said before walking to the door. He reached it and turned, gazing at her._

"_What's your name?" she asked in a whisper._

"_Edward Masen, what's yours?"_

"_Isabella," she replied, shyly and sincerely for the first time. _

"_I was right, you are Bella," he said, before walking out._

Edward_, she thought. His name was Edward. The irony of that being his name was not lost on her._

**-0-**

He didn't show up again, and Isabella realized it was probably because he couldn't afford it with his minimum wage job. She was very interested in him, so Isabella went to look for him at Goodwill with Alice, her roommate and colleague. They invited him over for a 'party' that was supposed to be of three, but ended up becoming only of two because Alice worked the night shifts at the brothel. Edward stayed overnight with Isabella and it became a regular occurrence for them afterward, so much so that Edward eventually moved in with them.

She smiled thinking back about the good moments, yet those were the most painful to remember. There were bad moments, too, because even though their story had a beautiful beginning, it wasn't always that way. A few months in things started to change; Edward was becoming frustrated with Isabella's occupation. The patience that was always present in the beginning of their relationship began to evaporate, and one day, Edward finally snapped.

_Isabella and Edward made plans, but she was stuck working really late. Though she tried, she hadn't been able to leave early because that would just be looking for trouble. Leaving early on a busy night was not something you did at the brothel unless you wanted to upset Phil. Doing that was just unintelligent._

_Edward was waiting for her in the kitchen at their apartment, and as soon as she saw him, she could tell that he was furious. Anger rolled off of him in waves, he bounced his leg relentlessly, dragging his hands through his hair, tugging it hard. He glared at her as soon as she walked in, standing up rapidly and throwing his chair back against the wall. _

"_Where the fuck have you been?" he yelled._

_Isabella acted upon reflex, scooting back a few steps and stumbling upon the counter. "I was at work, baby. I had a few extra customers and I couldn't leave, you know how Phil is."_

"_I know how Phil is?" he asked mockingly. He shook his head as he said, "No, Bella, I don't know how the fuck he is, nor do I wanna know. You were supposed to be here at nine, we were gonna go to the concert, remember?"_

"_I know that, but-"_

"_Those tickets were non-refundable," he said, cutting her off._

"_I'm sorry, Edward, but I made enough money to make up for it," she muttered, looking down at the floor._

_He scoffed and walked up to her. "You think this is about fucking money? This night was supposed to be special for us, Bella, and you chose to stay fucking other men than to be with me," he shouted._

"_You know it's not like that, baby, but I just couldn't leave." _

"_You couldn't leave? Like hell you couldn't leave! I'm so fucking tired of this shit, Bella. You're always making up excuses for your fucking job and it's all bullshit," he spat._

_Isabella looked up and stepped closer to him. "It's not bullshit, Edward, and you know that. Don't make this any harder for me, please," she begged._

_Edward closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling loudly. "I stay here _every fuckingday_, knowing that you go to that brothel and sleep with other men, and I'm making it harder for you? Well, I'm fucking sorry."_

_She mustered the courage to move forward, finally closing the distance between them and cupped his face with her hands. Edward trembled under her touch as he opened his eyes and looked at her. "Edward, I told you that this would happen; I never lied to you. You met me at the brothel, knowing what I was, what I still am, and you stayed with me regardless." _

"_Because I love you, Bella, that's why. It's the only reason why I put up with all of this garbage, but I've had it. I don't want to share you with anyone else. You need to quit your job, or you're going to lose me." _

_Isabella sighed, "Baby, I can't leave the brothel. You know it's the only job I can get since I have no education and no other working experience. What am I gonna do? Go back to the streets? Is that what you want? If I do, we'd be separated then, and I can't have that. I can't be without you, Edward; I can't,"_

"_Are you sure that's why you won't quit? You're not just saying that to appease me?" he asked, as he leaned against her forehead._

"_I'm sure, baby. I don't like this any more than you do, but I don't have another option."_

_Edward kissed her softly before asking, "So you're saying that you don't enjoy being with other men? That you hate it, too?"_

"_Yes, baby; I hate it, too. I could never enjoy being with them," she said, threading her fingers through his hair. "I love you, Edward, only you." She kissed him again and what started as gentle soon became urgent. Edward walked her backward in the hall, pressing his body flush against hers, gripping her hips. A thud resounded as Isabella's body impacted with the wall, mixing with the moans that erupted from their mouths as they kissed passionately._

_He broke the kiss and cupped her chin forcefully, holding her in place and making her look at him. "Tell me, Bella; tell me that you can fuck all those other men, but that you're only mine."_

"_I'm yours, Edward. I'll always be yours. They can all have my body, but my heart is only yours... only yours."_

_Edward slid his hand from her chin to her neck, somewhat strangling her. "If you _ever_ leave me for another man I'll fucking kill you, you hear me?" he asked, choking her tighter._

"_Yes, Edward, I heard you," she squeaked._

"_Good. Now _show me_ how much you love me, baby," he said, before picking her up roughly and biting her neck._

That moment would be replayed over and over in the future, and though every time it was different, they'd always end up the same: having make-up sex. And every time Edward made sure to claim his territory, whether from leaving bruises on her body by being too rough, or by marking her neck. This never made Isabella want to leave him, though, because she thought that he was just insecure by instinct.

Nobody had ever loved him before, and she reasoned he was just afraid, so she stayed with him. Edward made her very happy, so she couldn't turn her back on what little happiness she could experience. She was right in a way; Edward did make sure to make her smile like she hadn't since she was child. He'd take her to the movies or to dinner, doing what normal couples did, and they even took a road trip to California so she could swim in the sea for the first time in her life. They would hang out with Alice and Emmett, too.

Emmett had stopped visiting Isabella at the brothel since she started dating Edward, and began having an affair with Alice, but the attraction was still there. They tried to hide it, both for Alice and Edward's sake, but they couldn't help it. The tension between them was apparent, and Isabella knew that they had to stop seeing each other or their frustration would combust. Unfortunately, she didn't listen to her instincts, and one day the inevitable happened, turning her world upside down.

**-0-**

_The room was very hot that day, even though the air conditioning was at full blast; the loud moans erupting from Isabella reverberated in the small space. Her body was slick with sweat as she pushed back against Emmett while he pounded deeply into her from her behind. Her hands shook on the mattress as she held on for dear life, relishing the feel of his hands on her hips, gripping her tightly._

"_You fucking love that don't you?" Emmett asked._

"_Oh, God, yes," she whimpered. "Right there… it feels so good." And she wasn't lying. He definitely knew how to work her body, and the fact that he was well-endowed made the experience that much greater. _

_Sex with Emmett was entirely different than with Edward. There were no feelings involved, and they gave in to their basic instincts. This is what she longed to have with Edward, because when they weren't making love their sexual encounters were usually violent. _

_She blocked those thoughts out and focused on the way Emmett was breathing, the way he moved her body forward with each thrust. _

"_Fuck… oh, fuck… more," she begged. "I'm so close, Emmett; I'm so fucking close." _

_Emmett thrust forcefully once more and just as she was about come, someone began pounding on the door. "Open the fucking door, Bella! Don't even fucking try to hide Emmett. I know he's in there with you!" _

_The voice was unmistakably Edward's. _

_Isabella turned and sat up straight, covering herself with the sheets, as if that would do anything to help her situation. She couldn't deny what had just happened with Emmett if Edward asked her. He had probably heard her. The realization that Edward had probably been at the door eavesdropping for God knows how long dawned on her. She also realized that she probably wouldn't make it out alive from that room._

_Edward banged on the door harder this time. "I said to open the fucking door! What the fuck are you waiting for? I know what you were doing in there, so just open it, God dammit!"_

_Emmett looked at her apologetically as he put on his pants. "I'll go talk to him, okay? Just stay here and call the cops, Bella. You know this is going to get nasty, and I'm not about to let him touch you, you hear me? Call the cops."_

_She shook her head repeatedly, trying to hold in the sob that threatened to escape. "I can't do that, Em. I can't do that to him after we did this… I can't."_

_Isabella's hesitance seemed to fuel Edward's rage. He kicked and pounded on the door with his fists loudly. _

_Emmett sighed. "Fine then, but I'm not letting you go out there, put on some clothes and _stay here_."_

_Isabella didn't acknowledge or agree to do what he said. She just sat there, numb and terrified in anticipation at what was to come. She looked to the door where Emmett was currently at, opening it. She didn't even see Edward as he hit Emmett right in the jaw, yet she heard the impact._

_Emmett stumbled back but regained his stance and pushed Edward off of him as he tried to get a few more blows in. "Calm the fuck down, Edward!" he yelled._

"_Calm down? You want me to calm down after I heard you fucking my girlfriend? Where the fuck is she?" he asked, as he tried to look past Emmett who was currently blocking her from his sight. He would have none of that, though, so he pushed him back and punched him again. He entered the room and made his way to the bedroom, locking eyes with Isabella once she was in his line of view. _

_She was immobile, still as a statue, as she looked at him, wrapped up in a sheet. Edward's nostrils flared as he took in her disheveled appearance and almost ran to her, but Emmett stopped him with a punch of his own._

"_Don't you dare fucking touch her, Edward! I'll kill you," he threatened._

"_You'll kill me? Seriously, Emmett? You'd kill _me_ for _her_?" he asked in a mocking tone. "I don't believe that for a second. You don't love her, you wouldn't dare."_

"_No, you're right, I don't love her, but I care about her, and I know that she doesn't deserve to be abused that way. No woman deserves that."_

"_Well, she should have thought about that before she came here and fucked you… I can't believe you'd do this to me, Emmett. You were supposed to be my friend," he spat angrily. "And you," he said looking and pointing at Isabella, "you said that you loved me. What kind of fucked up love is this, Bella?"_

_Isabella was mute. She had nothing to say since she knew that what she'd done was unforgivable. She just continued to stare at him as a million expressions flashed across his face. _

_Emmett must have thought about something that made Edward livid; he glared at him and then at Isabella. "I can't believe you told him, Bella," Edward seethed._

"_She didn't tell me anything, Edward. You think I don't see how you bruise her? How you're always hurting her? I don't need to have 'special powers' like you to know what's going on," Emmett said._

"_What the fuck do you care anyway?" Edward seethed. "Worry about Rosalie, _your wife_… or do you not care about her anymore? Did you even think about her while you were fucking Bella?"_

_Emmett glared at Edward but didn't say anything. He just stood there motionless._

_Edward scoffed, glowering at Isabella. "Do you think he'd leave his wife for a fucking whore?"_

_She didn't answer either, appearing to be in a catatonic state. _

_Edward shook his head, defeated. "No, only I, the fucking freak, would be stupid enough to fall in love with a whore like you," he said, as he wiped blood from his lip, turning for the door._

_Finally, tears streamed down her face; his words had hit below the belt. She wanted to scream for him to come back, but she knew that would never happen. Emmett turned to her and said, "I'm so sorry." _

_She shook her head and stood up from the bed."I don't need your pity, Emmett. I knew what I was getting myself into. There are always consequences for our mistakes; this is mine, I have to live with it."_

After that night she never saw Edward again. He'd left their apartment, taking all his things and all of their pictures together. Isabella was devastated and would have recurring nightmares from that night only to be woken by the sounds of her voice, screaming Edward's name. Many times she considered suicide, though she never had the courage to follow along with her plans.

Time seemed to pass slowly for her as she worked at the brothel for the first few weeks, never paying attention to the men she served, just getting her job done so she wouldn't be in trouble. Her health started to deteriorate and Phil noticed this, so he took her the community clinic to get a checkup.

Isabella wasn't sick, though. She was pregnant.

Her baby gave her strength to go on, and with Phil's help, she was able to make some money. He hired her as his receptionist since, Jane, the previous girl that had that position, had been fired.

She had been the person responsible for the confrontation between Edward and Emmett, because she had allowed him to go to Isabella's room when it was prohibited. It didn't matter to Isabella; she knew it had been wrong to be there, at that moment, with Emmett. Whether Edward found out or not was pointless.

She would always regret her decision, but she couldn't do anything about it. All she could do was care for her daughter.

Mackenzie, she was all that mattered.

Thinking about her made Isabella stand up and wipe her tears from her cheeks. She went to the bathroom and washed her face. When she looked at her reflection in the mirror she saw determination.

She would be strong.

Isabella walked back out to the room and got her job done for the rest of the day without a problem. The next morning, after her double shift was done, she went over to Alice's house.

Alice had moved out of their apartment and stopped working at the brothel after the debacle with Emmett happened, but had remained good friends with Isabella. She didn't turn her back on her friend since she always knew that Emmett would never love her, and he'd tricked Isabella; he had made advances toward her and she never gave in, so he went to the brothel to get what he couldn't under good terms. She babysat Mackenzie while Isabella worked, which was mostly in the evenings, though this weekend had been an exception since there was a convention in town and the brothel had a lot of business.

Isabella pushed up her shades, as she knocked and waited for Alice to answer it. A bright smile spread across her face as she saw Mackenzie with Alice when she opened the door.

"Look who's here, sweetheart," Alice told Mackenzie.

"Momma!" Mackenzie exclaimed, reaching out for Isabella.

Isabella picked Mackenzie up, placing kisses on her soft cheeks, and cradled her in her arms. "I missed you so much, princess! Did you miss me?"

Alice smirked, "Oh, she definitely missed you. She wouldn't go to sleep until I played her the song you recorded for her."

"I'm sorry, was she a little pain in the butt?" Isabella asked, playfully. "I hate working double shifts because I have to be away from her for so long, you know?"

"I know, sweetie; so how was work?" Alice asked.

"I had a really tough morning," she replied. "It was two year's yesterday." She didn't need to elaborate more since Alice knew she was referring to her break-up with Edward.

"Oh, honey, I can imagine…" she trailed off. "Last year was bad."

"Yeah, but I don't want to talk about that, okay?" Isabella said, looking down at the ground.

"Bella, can I ask you something?" she asked, nervously.

"Sure, Ali, go ahead," Isabella replied.

"What would you do if Edward came back?"

Isabella looked up at Alice immediately. "He's not coming back," she replied, in a flat tone.

"He did. I saw him at the gas station."

"Well, good for him," Isabella muttered, not wanting any more information. She looked at Mackenzie who was playing with her hair and sighed. "I have to get going, I want to be able to buy breakfast at McDonald's and you know they won't serve it even if it's just one second after eleven."

"Okay, well let me go get Mackie's things," Alice said, before walking into her house and coming back with the baby's diaper bag. "She just had some cereal, so make sure you don't bounce her too much."

"Sure thing, sweets! Thanks for everything," Isabella said, before turning and making her way down the driveway to her car. After stopping at McDonald's for a Sausage McMuffin breakfast, she went home. The drive was short and quick, not giving her time to dwell on what Alice had said.

She pulled into the drive, looking at Mackenzie in her rearview mirror, as she smiled. "We're home, sweetheart," she said. She stepped out of the car and got Mackenzie out of her safety chair, slinging the diaper bag on her shoulder.

As she made her way to the door, she stopped dead in her tracks.

Edward was sitting on her front steps waiting for her.

Isabella didn't know what to do. Edward looked at her first and then at Mackenzie. He looked confused at first, but then his expression changed. He must have realized that Mackenzie was his daughter. She was Edward's spitting image.

He stood and looked down while Isabella approached her home. She grabbed her keys and walked ahead of him to open the screen door as Edward remained silent behind her. She began unlocking the door when he finally spoke.

"Bella, I need to talk to you," he said, in a pleading voice.

Isabella looked at him and nodded. "That's fine, come in, Edward." She motioned for him to enter once she stepped inside. She placed Mackenzie in her playpen in the living room and then went into the kitchen. She took her sunglasses off and crossed her arms across her chest before looking at Edward.

She sighed as he remained speechless. "Well, what did you want to talk about?"

"I came back," he simply said.

"I can see that. What else is new?" she asked, in a snarky tone.

Edward exhaled loudly and ran his fingers through his hair. "I came back for you, Bella."

She shook her head and sighed again. "What does that mean, Edward?"

"It means that I want you back… that I need you back in my life."

"Really? Because the last time I saw you it seemed that the last thing you wanted was to be with a whore like me," she said, throwing his words back at him.

Edward flinched at her crudity. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"It doesn't matter now, Edward, it was a long time ago."

"I missed you."

"I missed you, too, but that doesn't change things. You left," she said, sadly.

"You don't know how much I regret that, Bella-"

"Don't," she cut off him. "You had every reason to do it."

"I know that Emmett tricked you, Alice told me."

"I could have said no, but I didn't," she confessed.

Edward stayed silent before saying, "You look very different."

This was very true since she had cut and dyed her hair black. Isabella tucked a strand of it behind her ear and shifted nervously. "Yeah, things changed here a lot."

"I noticed that," he said, as he shifted nervously. "Your daughter is beautiful."

"She really is. She looks like her father," she said, as she looked at him and recognized the features that Mackenzie had inherited from him.

"What's her name?" he asked.

"Mackenzie Masen, I hope you don't mind."

Edward smiled crookedly. "Not at all, I think that's a great name. I wish I could have been here for her birth."

Isabella was speechless even though she had many things she wanted to say. Her nervousness got the best of her and she blurted out, "Those were difficult times. Mackenzie was born with congenital heart disease."

"Is she gonna be okay?" Edward asked, worriedly.

"I pray to God everyday asking for just that."

"I'm so sorry, Bella."

"It's okay," she said, looking down, "but her medical bills are high because of her treatment."

"I can help you with that," he said quickly. "I can move back here with you guys and help pay the bills."

"You can't, Edward. I'm still working at the brothel to pay Phil back all the money he lent me for her surgery. I'm not willing to go back to the past."

"I'll handle it differently, Bella, I promise. I'll be patient and I'll help you out."

"No you won't, Edward. I've heard those promises before and they're lies… white lies, but lies nonetheless."

Edward looked defeated after she said this, but still begged. "Just give me a chance, Bella, please."

She shook her head. "I can't, and I don't want to talk about this anymore. If you don't have anything else to say, I'd like for you to leave."

Edward didn't insist anymore and just turned for the door, he stopped in the living room and looked at Mackenzie for the last time. Isabella went to Mackenzie's playpen and picked her up as he walked out of her home. Mackie began to cry as tears streamed down Isabella's face, breaking her mother's heart.

"I know, sweetheart, it's okay. We're gonna be okay," she said as she hugged her.

Isabella knew she was right. For the first time she had done something that she could be proud of: she had saved her daughter from living in a world of pain.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks so much for reading! I hope you liked this story. Let me know what you think in a review ;) I have a few ideas for some outtakes after the contest is over, so you may want to add the story in your alerts if you'd like to read them.<strong>


	2. An Unattainable Dream

Hey, everyone! I'm back with a long over-due update for this story. I'm so sorry it has taken me forever to continue posting, especially when there were quite a few people that put it on alert, but I'm a bit OCD, and RL happens.

Today, though, is a very special day: it's **LovelyBrutal**'s birthday! And she just rocks my socks, guise. So this update is in honor of her birthday since I read somewhere that this one of her fave stories. If you have no idea who I am talking about, _shame on you_! Here is her profile: http : / bit . ly / piVvhs

**Check out all her stories, and tell her how fuckawesome she is! ;)**

This outtake/chapter happens right after Bella and Edward met. The story will go on from there and progress after the end of the first chapter that I originally posted. These future chapters will give you an insight into their lives as their love evolved and what happened while they were apart.

I don't have a posting schedule yet since I am donating a few stories to some causes, but I _will_ continue this story, so please stay with me.

For now, I leave you with this. Enjoy! ;)

_**Disclaimer**__**:**_** Stephenie Meyer created these characters; I just bruised them up with some angst.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Two: An Unattainable Dream<strong>

∞**Isabella Swan∞**

I lit up my cigarette and puffed the smoke out, inhaling its toxic scent and savoring it on my tongue. I smiled as I thought about Edward, the mysterious new customer that visited me earlier in the week, and looked at Alice. "He's the best fucking lay I've ever had, hands down."

Alice laughed hard, shaking her head. "You're probably just saying that because he has a big dick."

"Um,_ no_; he doesn't. He's just like an average Joe, maybe six inches?" I mused to myself. "I've had bigger cocks, and bigger isn't always better. If they know how to work it, it's a bonus, but if not, it's a shame."

"Yeah, that's true," Alice conceded. "So what was different about the short-dicked man?"

I sighed and closed my eyes. "His touch, his reverence, his innocence… oh, God, his need to just be with me. It was as if he had waited all his life for me." I opened my eyes and then added, "Of course, that can't be possible. How could someone like me be destined for him?"

Alice looked at me and smiled gently. "Did he last long before he came?" she asked, mildly changing the subject about what we did for a living.

I took a drag from my smoke before saying, "Yeah, he did. I was surprised, especially because he said that it was his first time."

"Maybe he's jacked off so much in the past that he could withhold his orgasm that long. I mean, how old did you say he was? Twenty-one? Who waits that long to have sex?" she asked, incredulously.

I looked down at the table. "He said something weird, something about girls not being interested in him."

"Really? Well, what did he tell you?" Alice inquired.

"I seriously don't know whether to tell you or not," I said, putting out my cigarette. I knew Alice would tease me when I told her about Edward's "special power", and when I admitted that I actually believed him, so I hesitated briefly. "I mean, if I tell you, you have to promise not to laugh."

"Why would I laugh, Bella? It's not like he has an extra nipple, does he? Oh, God, please tell me he doesn't," she begged.

I chuckled and said, "No, _no extra nipple with him_. He has, like, a special mind-reading power…"

Alice's face lit up at this. "Did he read your thoughts? Was he able to see how you were planning to fuck him?"

I shook my head. "No, he said that he could hear everyone's thoughts, except mine, and that it bothered him. He seemed very anxious about that… he looked upset."

"And you really believed him, didn't you? God, Bella, you're so naïve," Alice retorted.

"I'm not naïve, Alice, but I know there is something about him that is just," I paused as I sighed. "There's just something wrong. He's very troubled."

Alice sighed and shook her head. "God, you got it bad for super-power boy."

I couldn't deny it, either to her, or to myself. Edward had gotten under my skin, and that was not a good thing. In the two years I had worked at the brothel, Edward had been the first man to stir something in me, to affect me. I knew I was making a mistake the moment I allowed him to enter my room, but I couldn't stop it.

"Yeah, well it doesn't matter; he hasn't gone back to the brothel since then," I added.

"And that's a good thing. You don't want to fall in love with one of the customers, Bella." Alice said, shaking her head. "I can just imagine the shit that would go down if Phil found out. Jane would have a field day with you again."

I shivered at that thought. I did not want to be punished by Jane ever again. I would rather die than have her hands on me, or worse, have the hands of another man doing unthinkable things to me while she watched.

"Edward won't go back to the brothel, Alice, so we don't have to worry about any future drama."

**]=****[**

Two weeks later, Edward still hadn't gone back to the brothel and it was driving me crazy. Every time I went to answer the door to a customer, my hope was crushed when it was always someone else at the door. I knew it was stupid to believe that he'd want to see me again, but our encounter had been special, meaningful even, and if I were he, I'd want to repeat it again.

I convinced myself that maybe he couldn't afford my services and that was the reason why he never came back. I wanted to believe this with all my heart. I need to believe it and couldn't have it any other way.

So I decided to look for him, after all if Muhammad does not go to the mountain, the mountain will go to Muhammad, right?

I went looking for him at Goodwill, his work place, to find out if my theory was right. I had everything planned, if things worked out according to plan. Alice, as my accomplice, joined me in the quest to lure him.

Alice was not being very cooperative, though. I knew she was giving me a hard time since she thought it was a bad idea and she'd tried to convince me that I was just looking for trouble, but I couldn't be stopped.

Not now that we were at Goodwill and very close to Edward.

"I can't believe I'm doing this, Bella," Alice grumbled, as we walked into the store. "I do not need to buy any second-hand clothes… or things. God knows who's had them before."

"Oh, shush, Alice," I retorted. "You have second-hand cocks everyday and I don't hear you complaining."

She scoffed, "Well, that's because I get paid to fuck such second-hand cocks, thank-you-very-much._ I_ get paid, Bella;_ I_ don't pay."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Alice, just help me out here, please."

"Fine," she huffed, "but I'm not trying on any clothes. Just look for him and once you find him, let's get out of here."

"Thank you," I said, before placing a big kiss on her cheek.

"Eww, Bella," she said, playfully, rubbing her cheek. "Fucking gross."

"You love my kisses, so what the fuck are you complaining about?" I teased back.

She grinned and looked around the store. "Okay, so do you see him around somewhere? He might not even be working today."

I frowned at that possibility. I had not thought about that before and I would be very disappointed if he wasn't there. I didn't have to worry much about that, though, because soon enough I spotted Edward in the back. He was wearing a white, v-neck t-shirt and black jeans, and looked concentrated rearranging books and putting them on their proper shelves.

I exhaled and smiled. "He's right there, Alice; in the back by the book section."

"That's him? He looks so disheveled," she complained.

"That's the appeal to him, don't you think? I feel like I just have to take care of him…" I trailed off.

"Well, aren't you being over-protective, Mother Teresa?" Alice quipped.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I thought you were here to help me, not mock me."

"I'm not mocking you; I'm just having fun. What's so wrong with that?" she giggled.

_Fuck you_, I wanted to say but held my tongue. If I told her off she wouldn't help me with the next part of my plan, and that was not an option. "Whatever, let's just go talk to him, okay?"

"Okay," she shrugged. "Let's go find your protégé."

I snorted. _My protégé_, as if_ I_ could protect Edward from anything. I remained silent as we walked toward the back, watching Edward as he worked, with a smile plastered across my face. I felt like one of those teenyboppers, fangirling over their celebrity crush.

_Gosh, I could be such a girl sometimes…_

"So, how are you going to approach him?" Alice asked.

"That's easy, Ali. I'm just going to ask him for a book," I replied. "Once I start talking to him the rest is a piece of cake."

"That's if he says yes, Bella."

I rolled my eyes and raised my brow at her. "He's gonna say yes, Alice. Just watch."

We were almost at the book section when Alice gasped and stopped. "Oh, my God, Bella, why didn't you tell me he was hot?" she croaked, turning to glare at me.

"I didn't think that was important," I replied, sincerely.

"No wonder you are all obsessed with him. Who needs a big cock when you have a face and body like _that_?"

"I thought you said he looked disheveled."

"Fuck that, Bella. _Forget what I said._ You _need_ to hit that, A.S.A.P."

I chortled at her reaction. It was so Alice. That was a side of her that I loved the most; she was a true beauty and could seem intimidating to men at times, but when her tomboyish side came out, it was all fun.

"Okay, will do," I said, winking at her before I walked ahead and finally reached Edward. He was standing with his back to me, completely unaware that I was there, which made it easier for me to approach him.

"Um, excuse me?" I asked. "Could you help me find a book?"

I heard him chuckle before he turned around and smiled crookedly at me. "Hi, Bella," he said, simply.

"Hi," I waved and nervously tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "How did you know it was me?"

"Your friend Alice has been replaying a conversation in her head for the last two minutes," he said, looking at her. "I knew you were here the minute you got here. Her thoughts are pretty loud."

I turned to glare at her since she was still behind me and then looked back at him. "_Oh, really_? What was she thinking?" I asked, with a bit of an edge in my tone.

He smiled and looked down, "I don't think you wanna know."

Alice huffed, obviously annoyed that she got caught thinking about something inappropriate. She stepped forward, crossing her arms in front of her chest and scoffed, "So, it is true. You can read minds. _Wow_."

Her sarcastic tone upset me so much, I imagined myself launching at her, pulling her hair, and maybe knocking out a couple of her teeth.

_Too bad for Edward since he'd probably have to clean up the mess on aisle nine…_

Edward completely ignored her rude remark and shifted his attention to me. "It's so good to see you, Bella. What brings you around here?"

I bit my lip and shrugged. "I thought you already knew that, with Alice's thoughts and all."

"No, I only heard her conversation with you, after that, I blocked everything else and moved on to someone else's inner musings." He looked over his shoulder and pointed to a man who was looking through some clothing racks. "See that man, over there? For the last thirty minutes, he's been trying to decide whether or not overalls would make him look fat. I was just about to walk over there and tell him that overalls don't go well with his body shape."

Alice and I cracked up at his joke as he smiled at me. I enjoyed discovering his carefree attitude since the only time I had seen him, he seemed aggressive and roughish, always on the defensive.

"Well, Alice and I actually came to invite you to a party we're having at our place tonight… would you like to go? I mean, if you don't have plans or anything."

"I'd love to," Edward replied. "What time is the party at?"

"What time are you off from work?" Alice asked.

"I'm off at five," he replied, looking at his watch, "which means I've still got an hour to go in this dump. Do you girls want to give me your address, and I'll catch you there?"

"No, that's fine; we'll wait for you," I replied, quickly.

"And what are we gonna do while we wait for him?" Alice asked me.

I looked around the store and then back at her. "We can go shopping! I'm pretty sure we can find something that we like."

"Uh, no, Bella, remember what I said about second-hand things? Totally _not_ going to do that…" she trailed off.

"Relax, Ali, everything's gonna be fine. If we get any second-hand diseases we'll tell Phil that Dirty Yorkie wiped his boogers on our towels again."

Edward chuckled behind us, mumbling about second-hand cocks, as we turned and made way to the furniture section of the store.

**]=****[**

I smiled as I tipped back my beer and looked at Edward; he was chuckling while listening intently to Alice. She was sharing a funny story of her time at the brothel and seemed at ease around him now, making me very happy. We had been back at our place for an hour after leaving Goodwill, and had just started to drink the Corona twelve-pack that Alice had bought.

"So, this guy's all freaking out, right?" Alice told Edward. "And I tried to relax him, cause that's part of my job, too, but he wouldn't listen to me! So, he starts crying, _literally crying_, and babbling about how embarrassed he is that he couldn't get it up."

"And what did you do?" he asked, guffawing.

"I told him to shut up, open his mouth and swallow the damn blue pill before his time was up!" Alice shrieked, laughing.

Edward took a drink of his beer and then said, seriously, "That must have been so embarrassing, Alice. I'm sorry you had to put up with that."

She shrugged. "Nah, it's okay, Ed. It's just one the 'perks' of our job."

I sighed. _One of the perks of our job… _I didn't want to think about that while being with Edward, but there was no avoiding it. I was a prostitute, and right now, I was making a huge mistake by blurring the lines between sanity and madness. I knew that no good could come out of this because I couldn't have Edward in my life like I wanted, and I wanted him as a boyfriend, as someone with whom I could share special moments, inconceivable dreams.

Edward Masen was my impossible … No, I couldn't think of that word.

Love was not something that a girl like me could think about, much less utter. If I ever told Edward that I loved him, it would be wrong.

Besides, it was too soon to feel something like that for him, right?

"Hey, where did you go, beautiful girl?" Edward asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

I looked up at him and smiled timidly. "I was just thinking about when Alice and I met, that's all," I lied.

"How long ago was that?" he asked.

"About two years ago," Alice replied. "Bella was just going to turn sixteen when she moved in with me."

I sighed as I remembered that. "Yeah, for almost two years Alice and I have been partners in crime."

Edward smiled and seemed to get lost in his head for a second. He then looked at Alice and nodded, raising his brows. "You two have been up to some crazy shit, haven't you?"

I chuckled and looked at both of them before addressing Edward. "Yeah, but we can't share all the details with you. Otherwise, we'd have to kill you."

"Kill me? It's that bad, huh?" Edward teased.

"Oh, super bad," Alice added, mischievously.

"Alrighty then, how about you just share some stories with me? Just the ones that you are comfortable with?" Edward asked Alice.

"I don't know if Bella would like me sharing her dirty little secrets with you. You might just use it against her."

He scoffed, "I don't know how you kissing Bella could be used against her."

I gasped. "How did you know that?" I shrieked.

Edward just smiled and tapped his forehead as he leaned back in his seat.

It was my turn to scoff. "Well, why do you want us to tell you about things that you can obviously read from Alice's mind?"

"I don't know, to make conversation, I guess." Edward shrugged.

Alice laughed. "Well, as much as I'd love to stay here and chat, I gotta get ready for work. Phil will kill me if I'm late." She stood from the table and looked over to Edward. "It was nice meeting you, Edward. Maybe I'll see you around sometime."

"Thanks, same here," he replied, tipping his beer.

We sat quiet at the table as we watched Alice make her way toward her room, but I broke the silence when it began to feel uncomfortable. I got up from the table and took him by the hand.

"C'mon, I'm gonna give you a tour of my penthouse," I said, cheerily.

He stood, smirking. "Alright, let's do this."

I led him to the living room and told him the stories behind the pictures that lined up atop the fireplace and then went to the back, where I pointed out the bathroom across from Ali's room.

We walked a few more steps until we reached my bedroom, where I looked at him nervously as I opened the door, saying, "And this is my room."

He looked inside before stepping in, observing everything as he did so, which wasn't much since my room was very plain. The only thing that stood out was a tall shelf of CDs that contained various styles of music, a result of my eclectic taste. My bed was at the center, facing the door, with a bureau on each side and an adjacent desk on its right.

I took off my jacket as I walked to the closet, hung it up, and removed my shoes while Edward quietly read the titles on my CDs, touching the spines reverently. Nervous about where to sit, I went to my desk and leaned on it, waiting for him to say something.

He looked around once more and focused on the poster by my window. "You like Pretty Woman? Elizabeth loved that movie."

"Who's Elizabeth?" I asked.

He looked down and smiled ruefully. "My mother; she named me after him," he said, pointing to Richard Gere on the poster.

"Really? I used to watch that movie with a friend when I was little. We both wanted to be Vivian... how ironic, huh?"

"I don't find that ironic at all," he said, walking to stand before me. "If you're Vivian, I'll be your Edward."

A red blush covered my cheeks as I looked down, tossing my hair back. "Okay," I chuckled.

I sat on the edge of my desk and looked up at Edward as I scooted back, parting my legs slightly. His returning gaze was intense, burning and stirring desire within me, almost scorching my skin. I exhaled as he stepped forward between my legs, cupping my face and caressing me softly with his rough hands.

"I missed you," I confessed.

"I missed you, too," he said, before placing a soft kiss on my lips.

I looked down and whispered, "Why didn't you come back, Edward? I thought you didn't want to see me anymore."

"I did want to see you, but I couldn't afford going to the brothel, and I didn't know how else to look for you. I would have given you my phone number, but I wasn't sure if that was allowed or not."

It was allowed, except it was for arranging future encounters, not for seeing each other like this. I wouldn't tell him that, though. "Well, you're here now, let's not waste our time together."

Edward nodded and leaned down, kissing me again, as I threaded my hands in his hair. I wrapped my legs around his and pulled him closer to me, needing to feel every inch of his body pressed to mine. I deepened the kiss by parting his lips with my tongue, evoking a moan from him, arousing his body even further. I felt his erection against my center as I parted my legs wider and Edward kissed me languidly.

He pushed my dress up, dragging his hands along my thighs, so close to where I needed him the most. My hands tugged at his hair before making their descent to his chest, pushing his jacket over his shoulders and down his arms.

In the following second, I pulled his shirt over his head and kissed him again. I ran my hands down his chest, making my way to the waistband on his jeans before popping its button.

"Let me take care of this," I said, lowering his zipper while applying pressure over his straining erection.

"Okay," he agreed, breathlessly.

I slid down his body until my knees rested on the floor and then began tugging his jeans and boxers down his hips. I looked up at Edward just in time to see him shaking his head at me.

"No?" I asked, confused. "You don't want me to suck your cock?"

Edward chuckled as he pulled me to my feet. "Of course I want you to do that, but I don't want you to do it like that... on your knees."

Relief washed over me, making me smile mischievously as I stood up and made my way to the bed. I sat on its edge and looked up at Edward as I took his hardness in my hand, pumping it a few times before taking it into my mouth. He moaned as I swirled my tongue around the head of his cock and twisted my hand along its length.

"Fuck, that feels so good, baby," Edward groaned, placing his hands on my head gently.

I lowered my mouth on him until I reached the base, easing his cock slowly down my throat as he rocked into my mouth. "That's it," I said, after releasing him from my mouth with a loud pop, "fuck my mouth."

He wordlessly thrust himself into my mouth, grunting as he pushed his hips forward; when he pulled out, I scraped him marginally with my teeth. I heard Edward gasping and muttering a few profanities while I moaned around him, genuinely enjoying myself as I pleased him orally.

When I felt him begin to swell, I gripped his hips and sucked him harder, swirling my tongue around his cock, swallowing his cum as he pulsed in my mouth. He stilled, cradling my face as he panted and looked down at me; I stared back as I released him from my mouth.

"Did you like that?" I teased, tucking him back into his boxers.

"I loved it," he replied, smirking.

"Yeah?" I asked, timidly while toying with a loose thread at the edge of my dress. "I really enjoyed doing that."

Edward kneeled in front of me, lifting my chin with his fingers before placing a soft kiss on my lips. "Thanks," he whispered.

_Thanks_, I dryly repeated in my head as I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

Anger clouded my thoughts as that lone word made me feel vulnerable and exposed; it was what customers usually said after I serviced them, just before leaving.

_Maybe that had been his motive when he accepted my invitation... _

I bounced my leg nervously as I looked down, waiting for him to stand and do just that.

But he didn't.

He kissed me again, making me grimace.

"Edward," I chastised. "Don't you know you're not supposed to kiss a girl right after she sucked you off? My mouth probably tastes like jizz."

Edward chuckled whole-heartedly. "I don't care; I haven't kissed you in weeks."

I smiled.

He had missed kissing me.

"Okay, but how about I brush my teeth or something?"

"Impossible," he replied. "I'm not letting you leave this bed at all."

I raised my brow at him. "Oh, yeah? How do plan on doing that?"

"I have many ideas," he replied, kissing my neck while unzipping my dress from the back. He then unclasped my bra and slipped the straps down my shoulders along with my dress. My body shivered at his touch, both with need and excitement, as his fingers caressed my skin.

Edward licked his lips before running his tongue down my collarbone, marking his descent to my breasts. He licked and sucked my left nipple into his mouth while his hands tugged my dress down my hips; I lifted up briefly, allowing him to slip it down the rest of the way.

"Lean back, baby," he whispered, standing up and taking off his shoes.

I scooted back briefly and lay down, gazing at him as he crawled up the bed. He hummed as he sucked my pebbled breast and then gently bit it. My hand tangled in his hair, holding him closer to me while the other roamed his back, making his skin break out in goose bumps as my nails scratched him.

I cried out in pleasure as he sucked me harder, arousing me even further. Edward switched to my right breast with his mouth while his hand made its way to the left, cupping and then pinching my nipple.

"Oh, fuck," I gasped, tugging his hair harder.

Edward groaned, releasing my breast and then gently nipping my skin, making his way to my waist. His fingers looped around the straps of my pink thong, pulling it down as he kneeled at the foot of the bed. He dragged me by the hips closer to him, hooking his hands around my thighs to keep me in place.

"God, you're so wet," he muttered, before licking me once along my slit.

I trembled with anticipation, clutching the sheets tightly, waiting for his next move. Edward licked me upward before sucking my clit into his mouth, twirling his tongue around it, repeatedly, while I grinded my hips into his face and tugged his hair with both hands.

"That feels so fucking good," I panted, as he continued licking and sucking me, sometimes even nipping, but I needed more. "Use your fingers," I begged, desperately seeking friction.

Edward complied quickly, sliding his hands from my thighs to my aching pussy.

"Like that?" he taunted, lightly grazing my sensitive skin.

I nodded, breathing heavily, incapable of speech. He stroked my clit with his thumb while spreading my lips with his other hand, dipping his tongue in my entrance and lapping my arousal. I writhed and moaned, close to my release, arching into the bed.

"Yes..." I said, breathlessly. "Oh, fuck... oh, fuck." I pulled Edward's hair harder as he thrust two fingers into me and then pumped them fast.

I came undone instantly, pulsing and throbbing around his fingers as he continued pumping me. Incoherent words spilled from my lips; my limbs a quivering mess while everything blurred around me.

Edward suddenly plunged into me, causing me to yelp. He pulled out and gripped my hips tightly before pounding into me again. I looked at him through heavy-lidded eyes, cupping his face when he leaned forward and hovered above me.

"You feel so fucking good around me, Bella," he panted. "I've wanted to be with you like this again for so long."

I pushed back a few strands of his damp hair before placing a soft kiss against his lips. "Me, too, Edward... so much."

He leaned his forehead on mine and kissed me softly, rocking into me again. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pushed up in time to meet his thrusts. His lips parted as I deepened our kiss, erupting a moan from our mouths as I tasted myself on his tongue.

Our gaze never wavered while we continued kissing each other deeply, almost as if in a trance. My legs tightened around his waist and my fingers tugged his hair in an attempt to be closer to him, but it was impossible.

Nothing else was said, only breathless whispers exchanged between us, as we gave in to our passion. Just when I was falling over the edge, Edward drowned out my moans with a kiss, stilling above me as he came also.

I sighed as we rolled over on our sides, smiling, content.

Although I had thought that our first time had been intense, I was wrong.

_This_ was much more passionate.

Could it be possible that he felt as strongly about me as I did for him? Maybe he did, or maybe he didn't, but I wasn't going to dwell on it; I was going to enjoy being with him for as long as he wanted to be with me.

All I had to remember was that he could leave just as easily as he entered my life.

He could also never leave and stay with me forever.

Suddenly, everything seemed possible, and that made me smile.

"What are you thinking about, beautiful girl?" Edward asked, before placing a soft kiss against my lips.

I smiled again. "I was thinking about how I'd love for you to stay with me tonight."

"Hmm, I think that's a great idea."

"Yeah?"

"Absolutely," he replied, smirking. "I'd love to."

I was right.

Edward Masen was no longer my unattainable dream.

* * *

><p>Thanks so much for reading! Lemme know what you think in a review ;)<p>

A _**huge**_ thank you goes out to **Lo21** for her fuckawesome, emergency pre-reading/beta skills.

Next up, a coffee date!

See you soon, peeps!


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